A controlled trial of verapamil for Prinzmetal's variant angina.
To assess the efficacy and safety of verapamil in variant angina pectoris, we entered 16 patients in a double-blind, randomized trial of nine months, duration. During treatment with verapamil, the frequency of angina fell substantially (12.6 +/- 25.9 chest pains per week with placebo, 1.7 +/- 2.8 pains per week with verapamil, mean +/- S.D.; P less than 0.01), as did the use of nitroglycerin tablets (14.4 +/- 34.4 tablets per week with placebo, 2.1 +/- 3.3 tablets per week with verapamil; P less than 0.05). The number of hospitalizations for clinical instability was significantly lower with verapamil (P less than 0.01). The number of episodes of transient ST-segment deviation during treatment with verapamil was reduced (33.1 +/- 39.3 ST-segment deviations per week with placebo, 7.7 +/- 11.7 deviations per week with verapamil; P less than 0.01). Verapamil caused no side effects forcing a reduction in dosage or a discontinuation. We conclude that verapamil is safe and effective in the therapy of variant angina pectoris.
D000328:Adult; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000788:Angina Pectoris, Variant / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011897:Random Allocation; D013997:Time Factors; D014700:Verapamil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014700:Verapamil; D005996:Nitroglycerin